May 2013 Brides

[LKocelko]

Originally Posted by Kal520 

 

I need some help with an etiquette question everyone please weigh in if you have opinion one way or the other, thanks! 

So I originally was planning on not having a shower whatsoever due to it being akward as I didn't invite everyone to our wedding in Mexico just our nearest and dearest friends and family. That would have left me with just a few people to invite (less than 20) and I didn't want to ask those women to get a gift as many of them were going on the trip and paying so much for that, and the people who were not invited to Mexico and only to our at home reception wouldn't be technically going to a "wedding" only a wedding reception, so I felt inviting them to a shower would have been weird. I have had a lot of people lately tell me to just invite anyone whether they are invited to either, and now have a close friend wanting to throw a shower for me which is amazing, and I really want to say yes but it is a sticky situation. Should I have the shower and invite everyone, not have the shower at all, or only invite the people invited to our actual wedding in Mexico and make it a super small thing? As you can tell I need major advice!! Help!

I was in this boat and talked to my family about it, and they were mad I was thinking of NOT having a shower! We're doing the same thing - brunch after at home - where everyone can come. You know your family and friends best, but I say go for it.

[Tulumbride2013]

Ladies!!  I can't believe we are a little over 100 days out!  things are been super hectic, as I am still trying to get out invites.  I am ok with it because we did STD's and have 30+ people booked :woot:    What are you ladies working on?  I still need OOT stuff, but pushing it back to figure out how much to spend.  Have you picked out your rings?  Table decorations and chair sash stuff?  I am not a girly girl or very arty fartsy! One of my FI groomsman just told him he might not be able to go.... a little late buddy!  Wedding planning is kicking my butt right now... Still having a hard time deciding what to ship and what to bring!

I feel behind too! We don't have rings yet. As far as decor I'm pretty much done, still have something's to buy, but I have them picked out. We just now ordered suits but our son still needs his little suit. Oot bags are done. We too had someone just drop out of the trip, not a GM but my cousin who I'm close with and we found out can't come. I think we are bringing everything in checked bags. We bought some cheap thrift store suitcases that we plan on leaving behind so we don't have to check empty bags on the way back. Shipping sounded sketchy from what a lot of women said..

[Dazeydawl]

I feel really behind. I still have so much to do. We have my ring but FI still needs his. I have to finish our OOT bags and there is still quite a bit left of that. Then all paper items like programs, menus, table numbers, have to get all decor but I do have it picked out, is it bad that I wanna get it all at ikea and return it after the wedding if it still looks new?? Lol haven't started dress fittings yet. Have no idea what I want for hair and makeup. Still have to start ceremony script and vows as well as music playlists.

[KDoyle]

You ladies are so organized!! I am soooo behind ...I have done nothing for OOT Bags, decor, shoes, hairstyles, or ceremony script/menus ....I think I just went into panic mode reading everything LOL ....I haven't even booked my photographer yet!!!  How did you know how many OOT bags to buy if not all guests have rsvp'd yet?? I have 29 booked ...so was thinking if I ordered 40 I would be safe? Same woth decor --I have no clue how many tables I will have so not sure of centre pieces etc..

[KDoyle]

Originally Posted by Kal520 

 

I need some help with an etiquette question everyone please weigh in if you have opinion one way or the other, thanks! 

So I originally was planning on not having a shower whatsoever due to it being akward as I didn't invite everyone to our wedding in Mexico just our nearest and dearest friends and family. That would have left me with just a few people to invite (less than 20) and I didn't want to ask those women to get a gift as many of them were going on the trip and paying so much for that, and the people who were not invited to Mexico and only to our at home reception wouldn't be technically going to a "wedding" only a wedding reception, so I felt inviting them to a shower would have been weird. I have had a lot of people lately tell me to just invite anyone whether they are invited to either, and now have a close friend wanting to throw a shower for me which is amazing, and I really want to say yes but it is a sticky situation. Should I have the shower and invite everyone, not have the shower at all, or only invite the people invited to our actual wedding in Mexico and make it a super small thing? As you can tell I need major advice!! Help!

I think you should definitely have a shower -- I would invite anyone that's being invited the AHR and the actual wedding....they always have a choice to attend or not  

[KristieT]

Originally Posted by mrsreimonenq 

 

We're doing individual guest advice cards (with our name and wedding date personalized), placed in front of each guests plate. Then have a dropbox near the cake table. Later on I plan to put them all in a guest book...this eliminates having to lug a guest book on the plane lol!

 

Originally Posted by PuntaBride 

 

 

I just got my wedding guest book from shutterfly.com shipped a week ago.

 

I made a photo book (hard cover) with all of our engagement photos and it turned out SO nice!  There are pages where guests can sign (cute things like ... where do you see the couple in five years?, mad-libs to fill in ... etc.).  I highly recommend it!e 

 

Originally Posted by Dazeydawl 

 

We are getting our guest book from the etsy seller lacunawork. It combines my love of all things old and FI love wood (which is continue throught out our wedding) but its a hand carved book made from antique wood furniture. It will look similar to this one.

 

 

I haven't got the finished pics yet but it will be close. It is also doubling as a wedding album/scrapbook. We are gonna get an instax camera for guests to take photos of themselves with photo props and they can insert their photo in the book and write us a little message to go with it.

 

Originally Posted by danak71 

 

Our photographer is putting together a guestbook for us with a bunch of our engagement pics and questions on different pages for guests to answer, i.e., "Lynn and Marcus are perfect together because...", "Give us some ideas for a date night...", "What meals should we learn to cook together".

 

We didn't share the gallery of images before so it will be an opportunity for them to see our photos from our engagement shoot as well as leave their well wishes in a more interactive way than just signing their name.

 

Originally Posted by JA2012 

 

Instead of a wedding book I was thinking of buying 3 bottles of wine in black bottles. I bought silver pens and was going to make labels for the wine. 1st, 5th and 25th anniversary or somehting like that. Have people sign the bottle and we'll crack it open on the anniversary and think of them while we toast. I want to set it up on a table with photos and candles. Prob near the seating chart area. I'll also have a basket of CD's. I made a cd of reggae love songs to go with our JA wedding.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! We didn't get engagement photos done- so Im out of luck on the photo book! I like the wine idea! But same problem of having to bring down wine bottles. What if they broke in your suitcase? I would be so sad!

[JA2012]

@KristieT...you could always just buy the wine bottles when you reach your destination. There are plenty of liquor stores around hotels. Heck, if you're a real hustler, you will just pay one of the bartenders or kitchen staff to slip you a bottle. LOL!

Then all you have to do is pack the marker. I found gold and silver sharpies at staples. They have a fine point so it writes like a pen.

[PuntaBride]

Originally Posted by KDoyle 

 

You ladies are so organized!! I am soooo behind ...I have done nothing for OOT Bags, decor, shoes, hairstyles, or ceremony script/menus ....I think I just went into panic mode reading everything LOL ....I haven't even booked my photographer yet!!!  How did you know how many OOT bags to buy if not all guests have rsvp'd yet?? I have 29 booked ...so was thinking if I ordered 40 I would be safe? Same woth decor --I have no clue how many tables I will have so not sure of centre pieces etc..

 

Not knowing the number of guests is the hard part.  Did you put a RSVP by ... on your invite?  

 

I recently made myself a list and gave myself a deadline for each thing.  I basically divided it so that were a few things to complete each month until the wedding.  It made me relax a little.  Looking at a big list is overwhelming, but if you can reduce it to manageable chunks it helps!

 

Get done all of the things pertaining to you (dress, shoes, bridal party outfits/gifts, vows, rings, ceremony/reception music ...etc.) and do the OOT bags later on.  I'm going to try and have mine finished by March 30th.  By then I should know how many ppl are coming!

 

For table decor.  Find your inspiration pictures so you know what you are looking for.  Then you will just need to go out or order what you need when you have your numbers.

[KristieT]

@KristieT...you could always just buy the wine bottles when you reach your destination. There are plenty of liquor stores around hotels. Heck, if you're a real hustler, you will just pay one of the bartenders or kitchen staff to slip you a bottle. LOL! Then all you have to do is pack the marker. I found gold and silver sharpies at staples. They have a fine point so it writes like a pen.

That's actually a good idea! Thx

[melnryluvco]

Originally Posted by bride81 

 

Ladies!!  I can't believe we are a little over 100 days out!  things are been super hectic, as I am still trying to get out invites.  I am ok with it because we did STD's and have 30+ people booked   

 

What are you ladies working on?  I still need OOT stuff, but pushing it back to figure out how much to spend.  Have you picked out your rings?  Table decorations and chair sash stuff?  I am not a girly girl or very arty fartsy!

 

One of my FI groomsman just told him he might not be able to go.... a little late buddy!  Wedding planning is kicking my butt right now...

 

Still having a hard time deciding what to ship and what to bring!

Gosh talk about PANIC MODE!! I wish I were independently wealthy and could spend my days planning a fab wedding with no concern to cost and time. But alas I am one broke hoe! We have our rings picked out but it's a matter or purchasing them. I've purchased small things here and there for OOT bags but sill need quite a bit. Invites are out with a due date of 03/01. The trickle in little by little. Also, I'm not crafty either so thank god for Pinterest. I've pulled a few ideas together to come up with some table decor. I'm pretty sure between OOT stuff and table decor we'll be packed to the brim. And if you think that your FI groomsmen is a little behind we won't know if TWO of my FI's groomsmen will be coming until mid/late April...we get married end of May. That's what I'm freaked out about the most. I'll have 4 BM and my Man of Honor and he'll have one maybe two groomsmen there. Ay caramba!!! We're taking everything down in spare suit cases and then just stacking one suit case inside of the other on the the way back. 

 

Are you ladies attempting to workout/tighten/tone before the big day? That's another thing I'll have to add to this long list of stress. Well I feel better knowing that all you ladies are pretty much in the same boat!! Here's to power planning over the next 100 or so days